My “No Resolutions” Resolutions

Honestly, every time I’ve set a New Year’s Resolution, I fail at it. I don’t stick with it, or completely forget that I’ve set one and realize after I’ve broken it. So a few years ago, I decided to try to make “No New Years Resolutions” resolutions. What do I mean by this?

Setting “No Resolution” Resolutions

Firstly, this means that I am stopped telling myself that I completed or achieved my “no resolutions” resolutions. It wasn’t healthy for me mentally to remind myself that I didn’t complete something I set. By changing my mindset, I started thinking more positively about what I wanted to do and change in my life. I don’t tell myself I failed at something if the “no resolution” doesn’t stick – I reevaluate and figure out why that is. I might change what I am doing mid-year. When it doesn’t work for me and what’s going on in my life, I am open to changing it to fit what I am doing.

I mean that instead of trying to set a resolution that I inevitably fail at, I’ve tried to set attainable changes to my life that aren’t “measurable” in the same way that traditional resolutions are. I’ve found that by assigning a number to something makes it almost impossible to reach consistently. What happens when life happens, like a kid gets sick or you have work travel, and you cannot meet that weekly or monthly number you’ve set? You fail. So instead of “exercise four times a week,” I’ve set my no resolution of “increase exercise.” This means that I can work and figure out what works best for me at that time. It can ebb and flow throughout the year.

What do I want to do?

I also have started to set “no resolutions” that are things I actually want to do, instead of what everyone else is doing or what seems trendy. There’s been years where I am content, for example, with the amount I have been exercising. Why would I set “increasing exercise” as a “no resolution” resolution if I was happy with what I was already doing? I’ve talked with friends who add something to their list that is something they don’t care about or want to do, but say they want to challenge themselves. I’ve found myself wondering why we do this to ourselves? Why do we set goals that we don’t care about or passionate about? Why do we think setting this unrealistic thing will motivate us to do it? For me now, I only add things that I actually want to do.

Lastly, I add ones that are “low stake.” I don’t want to pressure myself and add to my mental load more. I have enough going on with two kids, a spouse, a dog, a full time job, and the rest of life to add things that cause me more stress. I’ve seen on social media this being called “low stakes resolutions.” Maybe it’s something like “wear more blue clothes” or “give more high fives at the office.” They can be fun, not stressful, and low effort.

Make 2024 your own by doing what’s best for you, whether it’s setting traditional resolutions or not.

My “No Resolutions” Resolutions for 2024

1. Do more face masks (especially ones that pull off stuff from your face)
2. Find a signature scent
3. Celebrate more – the big and small – for myself, friends, and family
4. Wear more of the jackets that I already own
5. Make more smoothies
6. If I buy a toy for the kids, donate a toy
7. Use more bath bombs and shower steamers
8. Educate friends, family, and coworkers on why I love Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce together

If you like setting New Year’s Resolutions, here are some tips to keeping them!